Puzzle lock



Sept. 27, 196e Filed May 5, 1964 F. P. TRAVERSA ETAL PUZZLE LOCK 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept 275 1966 F. P. TRAVERSA ETAL 3,274,810

PUZZLE LOCK Filed May 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept' 27, 1966 F. P.TRAVERSA ETAL 3,274,810

PUZ ZLE LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 5, 1964 Sept- 27, 1966 F. P.TRAVERSA ETAL 3,274,810

PUZZLE LOCK Filed May 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent O3,274,810 PUZZLE LOCK Felix Pedro Traversa and Armando Marcos Traversa,both of Boedo 769, Buenos Aires, Argentina Filed May 5, 1964, Ser. No.365,006 11 Claims. (Cl. 70-288) The present invention refers to a safety.lock and more particularly to a so-called puzzle lock of simpleconstruction, of low cost and easy to be operated, which may beadvantageously used in house doors ias well as in safes, in combinationwith a separate door latch.

Most cf the known safety .locks `are to be yoperated by means of keys.The complexity, size and weight of these known locks vand theircorresponding keys increase in direct relation with the value ofsecurity oered thereby, with the disadvantageous result that it istroublesome to carry along these keys which in most of the cases areconsiderably larger than the Yale type keys. In addition hereto there isalways the danger that the keys may rbe lost.

Now the main object of the present invention is to provide a novelpuzzle lock which is to be operated on the basis of a combination orcode of numbers or characters exclusive-1y known to the user and whichas compared with the puzzle locks as hitherto known is not only of avery simple construction, but is also of a size :so small that it may bereadily mounted in doors of reduced thickness, this novel puzzle lockbeing also advantageous insofar as the combination or code for itsope-ration may be readily changed by simply interchanging twoinexpensive parts.

More particularly, the invention provides a novel puzzle lock for use incombination with a separate door latch, comprising la cylindrical lockcasing, a partly cylindrical lid member lixedly secured in coaxialarrangement to the bottom wall of said casing, a central shaft extendingfrom the interior of Isaid casing through central perforations in thebottom wall of said casing land in said lid member into a central recessof the latter, a knob rotatively arranged in said `recess and secured tosaid shaft, a number of spring-loaded push pins slidably disposed incorresponding bores provided in said lid member around ysaid centralrecess, a control disk arranged on the bottom wall of said casing andprovided with a number of bores coaxial with said push pins, acylindrical body arranged within said casing land provided with a numberof bores coaxial with said push pins `and with the bores in said controldisk, spring-loaded cooperator pins slidably arranged in the bore-s of.said cylindrical body for their operation by means of said push pins,ya `spring-loaded `locking disk arranged on the free rear surface ofVsaid cylindrical body and mounted on said central shaft, `a number oflslightly oval perforations provided in said locking disk in coaxialrarrangement with said cooperator pins, locking members providedadjacent part of said perforations of said locking disk for blockingpart of :said cooperator pins belonging to an elected lock code and pushmembers provided adjacent the remaining perforations of said lockingdisk for the disengagement of said blocked cooperator pins, the saidcontrol disk being provided with a radial arm which by means of a yrodis connected with the said door latch.

According to one important feature of the invention, the puzzle lock lasset forth in the preceding paragraph may be operated only by the personwho knows the lock code, Iand in the case of `operating -a push pin notbelonging to the elected lock code in addition to several push pinsbelonging to the elected lock code, the lock mechanism is again andautomatically blocked.

In accordance with another important feature 'of the invention, thepuzzle lock as herein before set forth includes a code disk whichpermits the disengagement of 3,2 74,810' Patented Sept. 27, 1966 thecooperator pins and the opening of the door provided with this lock onlywhen the push pins are operated in a determined order of succession,with the ladvantageous result that the security afforded by the lock isconsiderably increased.

With these objects and advantageous features in view the presentinvention will now be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings which by way of example only illustrate lapreferred embodiment of the new puzzle lock and which represent in FIG.1 a cross sectional view of the puzzle lock in its locking position,

FIG. 2 a front view of a control disk of the lock according to FIG. 1,said disk being shown as seen from the left hand side of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 a front view cf a locking disk of the lock, seen in the .samedirection as the control disk of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 a front view of a Code -disk of the lock seen in the samedirection as the control disk of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 a perspective view of the elastic locking member employed on thelocking disk lof F IG. 3,

FIG. 6 a perspective view of a push member used on the llocking disk ofFIG. 3, and

FIG. 7 a front view of the puzzle lock according to the invention, withthe corresponding safety door latch, seen from the inside of the doorwherein the lock is mounted.

In these figures like reference numerals and characters are used forindicating like or similar parts. FIGURES l to 6 lare drawn lon lanenlarged scale whereas FIG. 7 shows the lock on a slightly reducedscale.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, the puzzle lock accordingto the present invention comp-rises a partly cylindrical lid member Aprovided in the embodiment as shown with ten push pins 1 uniformlydistributed on a circle concentric with a control knob 2 arranged in thecentre of the lid member A. The push pins 1 carry button members 3 whichlare conveniently numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0 insuccession, but in counterclockwise direction. The push pin 1 :shown inthe lower part of FIG. 1 carries, for instance, the number 5, in whichcase the diametricarlly opposite push pin (not shown) would carry thenumber 0.

In the embodiment of the invention 'as shown, the combination or codefor the operation of the Llock is formed by a group cf five elements,for instance, by the push pins numbered 1, 2, 4, 5, 9. It Will beappreciated that if there Iare ten push pins yand if the combination orcode comprises five of these pins, there 'are several tenthousands oreven hundred-thousands of different possible combinations, in dependenceof the number of elements forming the combination.

It may be mentioned that the uniform distribution of the push pins 1 ona circle is not absolutely necessary; they may be just the samedistributed in any other suitable manner.

The lid member A comprises a cylindrical portion 4 and is provided witha cent-ral bore 5 which is concentrical with a recess 7 of said lidmember capable of receiving the knob 2 which Iprior to its introductionin the lock is xed in any suitable manner, for instance, by welding tothe end of a central shaft 8 in the form of a cylindrical rod theopposite end of which is situated within the lock. Around the centralrecess 7 the lid member A Icomprises ten bores 9 which `are in alignmentwith ysmaller bores 10 open on the inner surface of the lid member. Theshoulders formed by the bores 9 and 10 support helical springs 11 whichnormally maintain the push pins 1 in a position projecting beyond therouter surface of the lid member, as has been clearly shown in FIG. 1.

The push pins 1 are constituted by cylindrical bodies which are slidablyarranged in the bores 9 so as to move from an inoperative position shownin FIG. 1 to an operative position (not shown), each pin 1 carrying abutton member 3 for the users nger and comprising at its opposite end anextension in form of a rod 12 of smaller diameter so as to slide in lthebore 10, said rod 12 having a conical end portion 13 which projectsbeyond the inner surface of the body 4. Each rod 12 is provided near itsconical end portion 13 with a circumferential groove containing anelastic ring 14 capable of retaining the push pin 1 in its bore 9, 10.

The outer surface 15 of the cylindrical portion of the lid member A fitsinto a circular opening of a door 16 wherein the lock has to be mounted.The lock mechanism contained in a casing B is placed in position fromthe inside lof the door. The casing B constituted by a cylindrical box17 fits into a corresponding inner opening of the door 16 and forms aflange 18 abutting against the inner door surface, the bottom 19 of thecasing B being .situated in front of the inner surface of the lid memberA as has been clearly shown in FIG. 1.

The bottom 19 o-f the casing B is provided with a central opening 20 forthe central shaft 8 of the lock and is secured by means of screws 21 tothe lid member A. By means of this interconnection `of the lid member Aand the casing B from the inside yof the door an access to the lockmechanism from the outside is rendered impossible and at the same timethe two parts A and B are xedly secured in place.

The bottom wall 19 of the casing is further provided with a plurality ofbores 22, the number and distribuf tion of these bores coinciding withthe number and distribution of the push pins 1, the arrangement beingsuch that in the correct position `of the casing B the centers of thebores 22 are in alignment with the points of the conical end portions 13of the push pins 1 so that when the latter are operated, their endportions 13 project into the casing B.

Now the shaft 8 is introduced into the central bore 5 of the lid memberA until its enlarged portion 23 rests upon the bottom wall 19 of thecasing B and thereafter its outer end is fixedly connected in anyconvenient manner with the knob 2, so that this knob is rotativelymounted in the recess 7 of Ithe lid member A and is unable to axiallyslide therein. The inner end portion of the shaft 8 projecting from itsenlargement 23 is flattened so as to form a tongue member 25.

On the enlarged portion 23 of the shaft 8 in the interior of the casingB there is now placed a control disk C constituted by a circular,centrally perforated plate 26 (see FIG. 2) which is provided with aradially projecting arm 27 engaged by a spring 28 (FIG. 1) of the casingB and so arranged that it may lbe connected by means of a lrod 4or arm19 (FIG. 7) with a double bolt 30 of the proper door lock 31, thearrangement being such that when the radial arm 27 is mov-ed in thedirection of the arrow 32 (FIG. 7), the double bolt 30 is withdrawn intothe door lock 31. The double bolt 30 is further provided with a knob theshaft 33 of which is shown in FIG. 7, so that the door lock may beopened from the inside by manually displacing the knob in the directionofthe arrow 34.

The central bore of the control disk C is provided with a sleeve 35welded to the edge of said bore and projecting towards the tongueportion of the shaft 8, where its free end is closed by an end wall 36(FIGS. 1 and 2) provided with an opening 37, the cross sectional area ofwhich is adapted to that of the attened end portion 25 of the shaft 8,the arrangement being such that after placing the control disk C withits Isleeve 35 on the enlarged portion 23 of the shaft 8 and with itsfront surface in sliding contact with the bottom wall of the casing B,said control disk is not only perfectly centered, but also caused torotate with the shaft 8 when the latter is operated by means of the knob2.

The circular plate 26 constituting the control disk C is provided withten bores 38 coinciding in their position and ydistribution with thebores 22 of the bottom wall 19 of the casing B for receiving, in thelocking position of the puzzle lock according to the invention, theprojecting ends 39 of ve cooperator pins D (FIG. 1) corresponding to anelected -combinati-on or code of the puzzle lock, so that in the lockingcondition of the latter, the control disk C is prevented from rotatingin view of the fact that its rotation is blocked by the 4projecting endportions 39 of the cooperator pins D mounted in an inner cylinder E aswill be hereinafter described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner cylinder E formed by a metallic body 40 isprovided with lthe central bore 41 by means of which said body ismounted on the sleeve 35 of the control disk C. The metallic body 40 isso dimensioned that, when the same lis duly mounted, the

plate 26 of the control disk C situated between said body and the bottomwall of the casing B is prevented from axially sliding `on the enlargedportion 23 of the shaft 8, but is enabled to rotate. The inner cylinderE is stationary and is fixedly secured to the bottom wall 19 of thecasing B by means of four screws 43 passing through elongated Icurvedslots 44 provided in the control disk C, so that the latter is notprevented by said screws from executing the required rotary movements.It has to be mentioned that the screws 43 are shown in the crosssectional view -of FIG. 1 in a schematic manner only, because their trueposition will depend upon the position of the screws 21 which secure thecasing B to the lid member A.

The body 4t) of the inner cylinder E is provided with a plurality ofbores 45 which in number and distribution coincide with the push pins 1,and ea-ch of said bores 45 contains one of the above-mentionedcooperator pins D, D', the inner cylinder E being arranged in the casingB in such a position that its bores 45 are in axial alignment with thepush pins 1, with the bores 22 of the bottom wall 19 of the casing B andwith the bores 38 of the control disk C, in the inoperative position ofthe latter i.e. in the locking condition of the puzzle lock according tothe invention, as will be readily appreciated from the FIG. 1.

The inner surface 42 of the cylinder E is provided with anannular recesscontaining a stop plate 46 for retaining the cooperator pins D, D' inthe inoperative position shown in FIG. 1, the remaining peripheral edge47 of the inner cylinder E in its correct position abutting against thebottom wall 19 of the casing B, whereby in an exact manner the distanceis xed between the points of the conical end portions 13 of the pushpins 1 and the ends 39, 39 of the cooperator pins D, D. In order topermit the rotary movements of the radial arm 27 of the control disk C,the peripheral edge of the body 40 is cut over a short distance asindicated at 43 (FIG. l).

The cooperator pins D are constituted by cylindrical rods 49 which nearone of their ends are provided with stop collars or flanges 50, whereastheir opposite ends 51 are conical and are provided with circumferentialgrooves 52, helical springs being arranged on said rods 49 to maintainthe cooperator pins D, D in their inoperative position in which theconical ends of said pins are substantially ush with the rear surface 53of the inner cylinder E.

As will be understood, the stop plate 46 of the inner cylinder E isfix'edly secured by screws or the like to the body 40v and the endportions 39 of the cooperator pins D which do not belong to the electedcombination or code are of such a length that their free ends areexactly flush with the outer or front surface of the stop plate 46 i.e.they do not project into the bores 38 of the control disk C, whereas theend portions 39 of the cooperator pins D belonging to the electedcombination or code extend into the bores 3S of the control disk C inthe locking condition of the lock. As has been previously stated, theelected cod'e for operating the puzzle lock, in the embodiment asillustrated, comprises the combination of number, 1 2 4 5 9, and fromFIG. 1 there may be clearly appreciated the positions of the cooperatorpin D corresponding to the number "5 of the code, and of the cooperatorpin D corresponding to the number t0 which does not form part of thelock code.

It will be readily understood that in this position of the puzzle lock,the -control disk C is blocked by the longer end portions 39 of thecooperator pins D and consequently the knob 2 of the lock is alsoblocked.

On the rear surface 53 of the inner cylinder E the puzzle lock accordingto the invention comprises a locking disk F constituted by a thincircular plate 54 carrying around its ycentral perforation a bearingcollar 55 by means of which the locking disk F is rotatively mounted onthe free end portion of the sleeve 35 of the control disk C. The frontsurface 56 of the locking disk F is in sliding contact with the rearsurface 53 of the inner cylinder E. The locking disk F is retained inits correct position by means of a washer or disk member 57 placed onthe tongue portion 25 of the shaft 8 and secured by screws to the plate36 of the sleeve 35 of the control disk C.

The rotation of the locking disk F is limited between an operativelocking position (shown in FIG. 3) and an inoperative position by the`co-operation of the lateral edges of a peripheral notch 58 of the disk54 with a pin 59 secured to the inner cylinder E (FIG. 1), th'e disk 54being provided with two helical springs 60 arranged tor maintaining thedisk F in its locking position and shown in FIG. 3, for reasons ofclearness, outside the disk 54, because these springs are in factarranged within the lock in the space between the opposite surfaces ofthe inner cylinder E and of the locking disk F.

The plate 54 of the locking disk F is provided with a plurality ofslightly oval perforations 61 the shorter axis of which is slightlylarger than the largest diameter of the conical end portion 51 of thecooperator pins D, D the member and distribution of these perforations61 corresponding to the number and distribution of said cooperator pins,so that in the puzzle lock the locking disk F comprises ten perforations61 uniformly distributed on a circle whose diameter is equal thediameter of circle on which th'e cooperator pins are distributed.Further, the locking disk F is so arranged that in its inoperativeposition its perforations 61 are substantially coaxial with the conicalend portions 51 of the cooperator pins D, D.

Five of the ten perforations 61 which in their distribution correspondto the cooperator pins D belonging to the elected code for operating thelock, are provided with an elastic locking member G for locking thecooperator pins D, whereas the remaining perforations 61 of the lockingdisk are provided with push members H.

Each of the elastic locking members G is constituted by a U-shaped leafspring 62 (FIG. 5). The arrn 63 of each spring 62 is provided along oneend of its free end portion with a plate-like locking projection 64which is arranged in sliding contact with the outer surface of thevlocking disk F and so as to partly cover the respective perforation 61,as may be readily appreciated from the FIG. 3. This gure also shows thatthe locking projection 64 of each locking member extends in a directionopposite the direction of rotation of the locking disk F from itsoperative locking position (as shown) to its inoperative position. Theother arm 66 of the U-shaped spring 63 is also provided with aplate-like projection 67 by means of which the elastic locking member Gis xedly secured to the surface of the locking disk F. Each lockingmember G is finally provided with a hook member 68 capable of retainingthe free spring arm 63 in its normal position.

As Will be readily appreciated from FIG. 3, the U- shaped springs 62 aremounted on the surface 65 (FIG. 1) of the locking disk F insubstantially radial direction with their curved portions lookingtowards ythe centre of the locking disk F.

The perforation-s 61 of the locking disk F which are in alignment withthe cooperator pins D not belonging to the combination or code for theoperation of the puzzle lock, are provided with push members H (FIGS. 3and 6). Each of these push members is constituted by a T-shaped leafspring 68 whose cross bar is provided with bores for enabling the springto be secured by means of screws 69 (FIG. 3) to the surface 65 (FIG. l)of the locking disk F. The spring or leg portion 70 is slightly bentupwards with regard to the surface of the locking disk F. These pushmembers H are so larranged that they slightly cover the respectiveperforations 61 and that they extend in the same direction as thelocking plates 64 of the locking members G (FIG. 3).

The so constituted and positioned puzzle lock according to the inventionis locked and ready for being opened, for which purpose the push pins 1corresponding to the elected code or combination of numbers l 2 4 5 9are pushed inwards without la predetermined order of succession beingobserved. By pushing i.e. the push pin 5 (the lower push pin 1 in FIG.l) inwards its conical end portion 13 pushes the correspondingcooperator pin D inwards until its conical end portion 51 extends intothe perforation 61 of the locking disk F and until its locking groove 52is engaged by the locking projection 64 of the corresponding U-shapedspring 62, `so that lnow this oooperator pin is blocked and retained inits inwardly pushed position and so that its end portion 39 remainssituated beyond the b-ore 38 -of the control disk C and in a positionflush With the front surface of the stop plate 46 on the inner cylinderE, After releasing the push pin 1 the same under the action of itsspring 12 returns to its normal position.

As long as the conical end portion 51 of the cooperator pin D projectsinto the perforation 61 of the locking disc F, the same remains in itsblocked position (shown in FIG. 3), in view of the fact that the springs60 are stronger that the locking spring 62, so that the elastic arm 63of the locking spring 62 yields and permits its locking plate 64 toengage the circumferential groove 52 of the cooperator pin D and to thusblock the latter in its inwardly pushed position.

In a like manner the cooperator pins D corresponding to the remainingelements of the elected code for the operation of the lock, after theoperation of the respective push pins 1, are blocked by the respectivelock-ing members G and thereafter the control disk C is free to berotated in the direction of the arrow 71 (FIG. 2) by the manualoperation of the knob 2. By means of this rotation the arm 27 and rod 29withdraw the double bolt 31 of the door lock 31 and thus the door may beopened.

In order to again put the puzzle lock in its locking condition, it `isonly necessary to push ione of the push pins 1 which do not belong tothe combination or code for the operation of the puzzle lock. Therebyone of the cooperator pins D with its conical end portion 51 enters thecorresponding perforation 61 of the locking disk F and acts upon thecurved portion 70 of the pushing member H, thereby producing a slightrotation of the locking disk F in the direction yof the arrow (FIG. 3)and causing the locking plates 64 of the locking members G to disengagethe circumferential grooves of the cooperator pins D which now under theaction of the springs immediately return to the normal position lockingthe control disk C. In view of the fact that the central shaft 8 of thelock, under the pressure exerted by the arm 27 and rod 29 of the doublelock bolt 30, already returned to its position which corresponds to thelocking condition of the lock and `also returned the control disk C toits inoperative position, thelonger end portions 47 of the cooperatorpins D, which belong to the elected code for the operation of the lock,in their return movement, again engage the corresponding bores of thecontrol disk C and thus blocking the control disk C and therewith thelock.

For obtaining a better security, the puzzle lock -according to theinvention may be readily completed in such a manner that it loperativelyresponds only to a predetermined order of succession in the operation ofthe push pins 1 belonging tio the elected code, i.e. in the presentembodiment in the order of succession of the numbers l 2 4 5 9.

F-or this purpose, on the end portion 2S of the shaft there is provideda code disk I xed in place by means of the screw 72 and cap-able of alimited rotation between an initial position (indicated in FIG. 4) and afinal position, the two positions being determined by the lateral edgesof a peripheral notch 73, of which the edge rests upon a stop pin 74under the action of a spring 75 which for reasons of clearness has beenshown in FIG. 4 as a helical spring, but which may also may be a spiralspring having lone end secured in any suitable manner to the head of thescrew 72 and the other end to any suitable point of the code disk.

The code disk I is provided with a plurality of bores 76, the number ofwhich is equal the number of elements of the combination or code electedfor the operation of the lock, i.e. in the present embodiment there areve bores 76 which are arranged in alignment with the conical endportions 51 of the cooperator pins D in such a manner that in theinoperative or initial position of the code disk I (shown in FIG. 4) thebore 76a situated in front of conical end portion 51 of the cooperatorpin D corresponding to the first element of the combination or code i.e.to the number l is displaced over a distance x, in the directionIopposite the direction of the angular displacement lof the code disk I,said distance being substantially equal one half of the diameter of theconical end portion 51 of the cooperator pin D1 as has been clearlyshown in FIG. 4.

The bore 76h destined for co-operation with the cooperator pin D2(second element of the lock code) is displaced in the same direction asthe bore 76a, but over a distance x1+x1=2x1 with regard to the angularposition of the mentioned second cooperator pin (the code disk beingassumed always in its inoperative position), and the following boresi.e. the bores 76e, 76d and 76e are displaced, with regard to theangular position of the respective cooperator pins D4, D5 and Dg, overdistances which each time increase for a value equal the distance x1,which means that with regard to the displacement of the first bore 76a,the following bores are displaced in the same direction over distancesthe values of which are whole multiples of the`value of displacement ofthe rst bore 76a in a regular increasing orde-r according to thesuccession of the elements of the lock code.

As will be readily understood from the preceding explanations withreference to FIG. 4, the conical end portion S1 of the cooperator pin D1corresponding to the rst element 1 of the lock code and destined forcooperating with the :bore 76a of the code disk, after engaging theperforation 61 of the locking disk F, said cooperator pin is nowdesigned for also engaging the bore 76a of the code disk and due to thedisplacement of said bore 76a, and by engaging the latter produces aslight angular displacement of the said code disk in the direction ofthe arrow 77. It will be readily understood that before the push pin 1corresponding to the rst element of the lock code is pushed, it isimpossible to block any of the cooperator pins D corresponding to theother elements of the lock code, in view of the fact Athat the axialmovement of the cooperator pins D is rendered impossible by the codedisk I, the respective bores 76b-e are not situated in front of theconical end portions 51 of the cooperator pins D. As soon as the pushpin 1 corresponding to the first element l of the lock code is'pushedinwards, the

code disk I is rotated through a small angle suicient to bring thesecond bore 76h in front of the conical end portion of the cooperatorpin D2 corresponding to the second number 2 of the elected code lock andthis in such a manner that with regard to the axis of the conical endportion of the cooperator pin, the bore 76b is displaced over a distanceequal one half of the diameter of the cooperator pin. Consequently, whenthe conical end portion 51 of the cooperator pin D2 corresponding to thesecond element 2 of the lock code enters the bore 76b of the code diskI, this disk is again displaced so as to place the following bore 76C inits initial position in front of the corresponding cooperator pins D4and so on until all the cooperator pins D of the lock code have beenpushed and remain blocked in their locking position.

It will, however, be understood that due to the particular dispositionof the bores 76a-e of the code disk I, the push pins 1 may be pushedonly in accordance with the predetermined order of succession of theelements of the lock code and by no means in any other order ofsuccession.

In connection herewith it has to be mentioned that for reasons ofclearness in the cross sectional view of FIG. 1 the code disk I is shownat certain distances from the locking disk F and from the conical endportions 51 of the explorator pins D, whereas in practice this distanceis as small as possible.

The casing B of the lock is closed by a cap 78 to protect the lockmechanism against dust.

It has to be understood that the present invention is by no meansrestricted to the embodiment as described and shown and thatmodifications and amendments may be introduced therein as to the formand arrangement of the component parts of the lock and that suchmodications and amendments are to be considered as falling within thescope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A llock for use in combination with a separate door latch, said lockcomprising a -control disc formed with a plurality of openingstherethrough, said control disc being mounted on the inside of a doorturnably about a turning aXis and being operatively connected to saiddoor latch; turning means having an operating portion at the outside ofthe door and being spaced from said operating portion connected to saidcontrol disc for turning the latter between a rst position in which saidlatch connected thereto is in a locking position and a second positionin which said latch is in an unlocked position; a plurality ofcooperator members mounted on the inside of said door movable between alocking position in which end portions of said cooperator members arerespectively located in said openings of said control disc so as toprevent turning of the latter, and a releasing position; biasing meansoperatively connected to said cooperator members and biased to yieldablymaintain the latter in said locking position; a first plurality ofmovable operating members having operating portions outside of the doorand being respectively coordinated with said cooperator members formoving, when respectively actuated, the co-operator member respectivelycoordinated therewith from said locking to said releasing position; aplurality of locking means respectively cooperating with saidco-operator members for holding the latter in said releasing position; asecond plurality of movable operating members having operating portionsoutside said door; and restoring means cooperating with and actuated byany of said second plurality of operating members for disengaging said.locking means from said cooperator members so that the latter willreturn to said locking position, whereby said control disc may be turnedto move said latch to said unlocked position only when all of said firstplurality of operating members and none of said second plurality ofoperating members are actuated.

2. A lock as set forth in claim 1, wherein said operating portions ofsaid operating members are of substantially identical appearance anddiffer from each other only by different code symbols provided thereon.

3. A lock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said c0- operating members arein the form of cooperating pins, and including mounting means on theinside of the door for mounting said cooperating pins movably -in axialdirection substantially parallel to said turning axis and respectivelyaligned with said openings in said control disc when the latter is insaid first position, so that one end portion of each cooperator pin willproject through a respective opening of said control disc.

4. A lock as set forth in claim 3, wherein said operating members are inthe form of push-pins having axes substantially parallel to said turningaxis, and the operating members of said rst plurality of operatingmembers being respectively aligned with said cooperator pins.

5. A lock as set forth in claim 4, and including a lid adapted to bemounted on the outside of the door, said lid being formed with aplurality of bores therethrough respectively aligned with said openingsin said control disc, when the latter is in said first position, saidpushpins being respectively located in said bores movably in axialdirection.

6. A lock as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said cooperator pinsis formed in the region of an end portion thereof opposite said one endportion with an annular engaging portion of a diameter different thanthe remainder of said cooperator pins, and wherein each of said lockingmeans includes a locking spring having a locking portion adapted toengage the engaging portion of the respective cooperator piu for holdingthe latter in said releasing position.

7. A lock as set forth in claim 6, and including a locking disc facingsaid opposite end portions of said cooperator pins and being turnableabout said turning axis, said locking springs being mounted on saidlocking disc, and means biasing said locking disc in one circumferentialdirection tending to keep said locking springs in engagement with saidengaging portions, said releasing means cooperating with said lockingdisc for turning the latter in a direction opposite to said onedirection.

S. A lock as set forth in claim 7, wherein said restoring means includean additional plurality of cooperator pins respectively aligned withsaid push-pins forming said second plurality of operating members andmounted in said mounting means movably in axial direction substantiallyparallel to said turning axis toward and away from said locking disc,cooperating means on said locking disc and on said cooperator pins ofsaid additional plurality of cooperator pins for turning said lockingdisc, during movement of any of said additional cooperator pins towardsaid locking disc, in a direction opposite to said one direction, andbiasing means connected to said additional cooperator pins for biasingthe latter in a direction away from said locking disc.

9. A lock as set forth in claim 1, and including means cooperating withsaid cooperator members for permitting actuation thereof by saidoperating members only in a predetermined sequence.

10. A lock Ias set forth in claim 9, wherein said lastmentioned meansincludes a code disc turnable in sequential steps about said turningaxis, biasing means for yieldingly holding said code disc in a firstposition, a plurality of blocking means on said disc respectivelyarranged in the path of movement of all of said cooperator membersexcept the first one to be acuated in said predetermined sequence forpreventing movement of said cooperating members from said locking tosaid releasing position and cooperating means on said cooperator membersand said code disc for stepwise turning said code disc when saidcooperator members are actuated one by one in said predeterminedsequence in such a manner so that the blocking means of the cooperatormember following the cooperator member which is actuated is moved out ofthe path of said following cooperator member so that the latter may beactuated.

11. A lock as set forth in claim 7, wherein said opposite end portionsof said cooperator pins are substantially conical, and including meanscooperating with said cooperator pins for permitting actuation thereofonly in a predetermined sequence, said last-mentioned means including acode disc substantially parallel to said locking disc and turnable aboutsaid turning axis, said code disc being formed with a plurality ofopenings therethrough respectively coordinated with said cooperatorpins, biasing means connected to said code disc and biased to maintainthe latter in a first angular position in which said openings areangularly displaced with regard to said conical end portions of saidcooperator pins in such a manner that only the cooperator pin to befirst operated according to said predetermined sequence may enter intothe opening coordinated therewith to turn thereby, when said firstcooperator pin is moved to its releasing position, during engagementwith an edge portion of said opening, said code disc through an anglepermitting the next cooperator pin to enter into the opening coordinatedtherewith, and so on, whereby said cooperator pins may only be moved insaid predetermined sequence one by one to said releasing positionsthereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,871,303 8/1932Chesick 70-313 2,566,967 8/1951 Capevila 70-299 FOREIGN PATENTS 416,7207/ 1925 Germany.

210,560 10/1940 Switzerland.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

BOBBY R. GAY, Examiner.

1. A LOCK FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH A SEPARATE DOOR LATCH, SAID LOCKCOMPRISING A CONTROL DISC FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF OPENINGSTHERETHROUGH, SAID CONTROL DISC BEING MOUNTED ON THE INSIDE OF A DOORTURNABLY ABOUT A TURNING AXIS AND BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAIDDOOR LATCH; TURNING MEANS HAVING AN OPERATING PORTION AT THE OUTSIDE OFTHE DOOR AND BEING SPACED FROM SAID OPERATING PORTION CONNECTED TO SAIDCONTROL DISC FOR TURNING THE LATTER BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICHSAID LATCH CONNECTED THERETO IS IN A LOCKING POSITION AND A SECONDPOSITION IN WHICH SAID LATCH IS IN AN UNLOKED POSITION; A PLUALITY OFCOOPERATOR MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE INSIDE OF SAID DOOR MOVABLE BETWEEN ALOCKING POSITION IN WHICH END PORTIONS OF SAID COOPERATOR MEMBERS ARERESPECTIVELY LOCATED IN SAID OPENINGS OF SAID CONTROL DISC SO AS TOPREVENT TURNING OF THE LATTER, AND A RELEASING POSITION; BIASING MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID COOPERATOR MEMBERS AND BIASED TO YIELDABLYMAINTAIN THE LATTER IN SAID LOCKING POSITION; A FIRST PLURALITY OFMOVABLE OPERATING MEMBERS HAVING OPERATING PORTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE DOORAND BEING RESPECTIVELY COORDINATED WITH SAID COOPERATOR MEMBERS FORMOVING, WHEN RESPECTIVELY ACTUATED, THE CO-OPERATOR MEMBER RESPECTIVELYCOORDINATED THEREWITH FROM SAID LOCKING TO SAID RELEASING POSITION; APLURALITY OF LOCKING MEANS RESPECTIVELY COOPERATING WITH SAIDCO-OPERATOR MEMBERS FOR HOLDING THE LATTER IN SAID RELEASING POSITION; ASECOND PLURALITY OF MOVABLE OPERATING MEMBERS HAVING OPERATING PORTIONSOUTSIDE SAID DOOR; AND RESTORING MEANS COOPERATING WITH AND ACTUATED BYANY OF SAID SECOND PLURALITY OF OPERATING MEMBERS FOR DISENGAGING SAIDLOCKING MEANS FROM SAID COOPERATOR MEMBERS SO THAT THE LATTER WILLRETURN TO SAID LOCKING POSITION, WHEREBY SAID CONTROL DISC MAY BE TURNEDTO MOVE SAID LATCH TO SAID UNLOCKED POSITION ONLY WHEN ALL OF SAID FIRSTPLURALTIY OF OPERATING MEMBERS AND NONE OF SAID SECOND PLURALITY OFOPERATING MEMBERS ARE ACTUATED.